Declan

Though the subtitle of this novel is “a mystery,” it is not a standard of the genre as readers might expect. Declan left Ireland 40 years ago because he was wrongly accused of disloyalty to the Irish republican cause. In New York, he runs a successful business and has a large, prosperous family. He receives a note that forces his return, accompanied by two of his sons: Terry, an airline pilot; and Brennan, a priest. Family and friends welcome them wholeheartedly. This story is set in the 1990s, when sectarian issues are still quite hot. Terry is grabbed off the street and held captive, escaping by his own wits, but this is part of a different story from the one that brought Declan home. Leaving their father out of most of the dirty work, the sons do some deep investigation and figure out part of what’s going on, but the rest of the story, while explained, is not totally solved. If you have been longing for a trip to Ireland but haven’t the time or funds to take it, reading this will give you a real travelogue-like view of the country, especially of Dublin.—Danise Hoover